Wild Cider: Improving the Flavor

[benfarhner]

This is my second attempt at a cider. I haven't really done much research and I've just winged it both times.

Background: The first batch was fresh-pressed cider (our friends have a press). I put 3 gallons in a carboy, pitched some yeast, and let it sit for a long time (several months, don't remember exactly) before bottling and aging it. I tasted it every month or so, but at about a year, it was tasting more or less vinegary and hadn't developed a very strong apple flavor.

This batch was also fresh-pressed cider, 3 gallons straight into the carboy at pressing. No yeast, just put an airlock on it and let nature do its thing. The wild yeast took over right away and it fermented nicely. After 2.5 months, I added a cup of sugar (dissolved) and bottled. This time, I didn't wait for a year, and I have a nice lightly carbonated hard cider. It's still pretty mild in terms of apple flavor, but it's refreshing and easy to drink, no vinegar notes this time.

Next batch, I plan on using additional fresh cider instead of sugar to bottle condition to help improve the apple flavor.

My main question is: how do I get a stronger apple flavor? Will carbing with fresh cider instead of sugar do the trick? I don't necessarily mind a dry cider, so I don't really want to backsweeten. I just like strong flavors

I really like the simplicity of cidermaking: fresh-pressed cider straight into the carboy, add an airlock, and forget about it. Hoping to get this nailed down so I can have delicious hard cider every year.

 

[mopar318]

The yeast strain has a big impact in the final flavor. I use white labs cider yeast and it leaves a great apple flavor.

 

[benfarhner]

The yeast strain has a big impact in the final flavor. I use white labs cider yeast and it leaves a great apple flavor.

Good to know, I'll keep that in mind. I do like the wild fermentation aspect though

Another thing that comes to mind is the variety of apple. At the cider pressing we use a mix, which makes fantastic juice. But I would imagine keeping it to one type of apple would give the hard cider a more distinct flavor.

 

[TNGabe]

I don't think you're going to get a strong apple flavor with the apples avaialble in the US, but that's just me guessing. I've only made cider once and split the batch between pitched yeast and wild fermentation. The pitched yeast didn't go great, I had some sort of potassium metabisulfate snafu and had to repitch after a few days. The wild batch came out ok. Next time I plan on racking off the lees at least once during fermentation and bottling in strong bottle around 1.002. This batch finished at .996, so hopefully next time it will continure fermenting to the same point and carb up that way. I guess I'll find out next fall.

 

[mopar318]

Good to know, I'll keep that in mind. I do like the wild fermentation aspect though

Another thing that comes to mind is the variety of apple. At the cider pressing we use a mix, which makes fantastic juice. But I would imagine keeping it to one type of apple would give the hard cid
er a more distinct flavor.

What varieties did you use?

 

[benfarhner]

What varieties did you use?

I actually have no idea. It was a mix brought over from Eastern Washington, along with a mix from a friend's orchard.

Looks like it's time to do some research into good cider varieties, then buy some land and plant my own orchard